1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,640 Compromising, Holy and uncompromising. 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:04,240 That's the dove part. Sheep. 3 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,000 I depend upon Jesus. I need him, and I need to stay 4 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,400 close with the other sheep. I'm wise like a serpent. 5 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,200 I pay attention. I know what's what. 6 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:14,520 I know when to speak and I know when not to speak. 7 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:16,920 But I'm like a dove. I am uncompromising. 8 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:18,840 That will make sure that you speak. 9 00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:22,240 If you're like a dove, you won't stay silent because you will 10 00:00:22,240 --> 00:00:25,880 speak up when the time is right. Oh, I'm going to be wise as a 11 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:27,240 serpent. I'm just going to bow down to 12 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:29,120 the idol because I'm being wise to spare my life. 13 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,240 No, no, no, no, no. That would not be dove. 14 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:33,640 Like, that's that. Now you've stepped into the area 15 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:35,920 of compromise. Well, if I bow down, then 16 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,360 they're going to, they're going to flog you in the symagogue, 17 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:39,920 they're going to throw you in prison. 18 00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:42,040 You're going to lose your job. You're going to get called in 19 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,800 the HR department. There's all kinds of 20 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,360 consequence, but you have got to be a witness. 21 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,240 That's the whole mission. Otherwise, your own, your 22 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:50,920 mission becomes preserving your life. 23 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,400 And that was not the mission. You were called to take up your 24 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:58,000 cross and to follow him. We're not trying to die. 25 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:00,160 Well, I know if I do this then I will suffer. 26 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,840 And yet we have to be faithful to the king. 27 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,280 We have to be faithful all the way through to the end. 28 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,200 Some of those testimonies I gave you in the beginning of service 29 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,040 and and just the quick references, whether it was the 30 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:14,120 Muslims who blew up the church. And again, like, there's just 31 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,960 infinite amounts of these things that are still happening. 32 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:18,880 Or. Or the pastor who was drowned in 33 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,600 front of his church, That church had been meeting multiple times 34 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:23,280 and they had been warned multiple times. 35 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:25,600 And they had been warned and warned and warned. 36 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,360 And finally they came back. And that's when they killed the 37 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,760 pastor in front of his church. And that's the point. 38 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:32,840 They want to use intimidation. And who is they? 39 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,320 Well, whoever they are, they're inspired by their fault of the 40 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:37,960 devil. They're lost. 41 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,000 They are our enemies. And yet we pray for them and we 42 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,440 want them to be saved. We want them to be rescued. 43 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:45,240 I was watching as I was preparing. 44 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,560 I watch different testimonies from different Christians. 45 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:50,520 Nigeria is actually a country that experiences the most 46 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:52,120 persecution right now on the planet. 47 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,360 Probably there's plenty of others who compete with them. 48 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:58,160 But Nigeria experiences a ton and it was this woman who she 49 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,160 was out in the fields and Boko Haram. 50 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:02,240 Did I say that? Right? 51 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,120 One of the Muslim groups comes and they just start shooting 52 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,199 people into her village, kills her father right there in the 53 00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:10,160 field. The guy comes up behind her, 54 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,920 puts a gun up to her, shoots her in the head, doesn't kill her, 55 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:17,840 like damages her head. Obviously she's now blind in 56 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:19,760 both eyes. And they were just interviewing 57 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,920 his sister and they said what would you say to the men to the 58 00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:24,400 man who shot you if he was here right now. 59 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,160 And she lit up like a light bulb And she said I would pour him 60 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,960 water and I would prepare a seat for him and I would and if he 61 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,120 wanted to rest for a nap I would make his bed. 62 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,720 And she just shares her love and the and the guy interviewing her 63 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:39,560 and says like why? She said because Jesus commands 64 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,640 me to do this, the what? What other reason do you need? 65 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,960 Jesus said So is her answer. It's what Jesus wants. 66 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,800 Like I have a Bible and Jesus told me that that's what I'm 67 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:53,520 supposed to do. Her husband still reads her 68 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,720 Bible to her, but that was her response. 69 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,280 She loves her enemy and she prays for him. 70 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,160 She doesn't know him, but she hopes to see him. 71 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,040 So we're to be like a snake, but we don't bite. 72 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:08,920 We're to be like a snake, but we have no venom. 73 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:12,600 We're to be like a snake because we're wise. 74 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,280 We're to be like a dove, because we're to be holy and 75 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:20,000 uncompromising. And we're going to have wisdom. 76 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,560 And we're to stick to our convictions. 77 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,000 Trust Jesus. Stay close to Jesus. 78 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:30,560 Stay close to the flock of God. Be wise as a serpent. 79 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:32,320 Pay attention. Read the situation. 80 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:33,800 When it's time to speak, you speak. 81 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:37,680 You do not hold back. You don't go well, I'm not so 82 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,520 sure if everyone else is casting their vote and you're being 83 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,760 lumped in and assigned false doctrine or whatever it may be. 84 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,720 And that's why wisdom is needed, because the details matter. 85 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,600 Some of you have complicated work situations, and some 86 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,360 people, your convictions, are going to land in different 87 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,400 places. I've got friends who they were 88 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:57,800 told they had to put their pronouns in their bio, they had 89 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,240 to put their pronouns in there on the zoom calls. 90 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,120 And I've had some Christian friends who say I got no problem 91 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,720 saying I'm a man, I'm a man, you know, fine. 92 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,880 And then I've had others who say I'm not playing this game. 93 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,960 So they you need to follow conviction. 94 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,400 But then when it comes to absolute truth, 'cause there's 95 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,200 some things you go, OK, well, that's that's, that's secondary, 96 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,560 that's tertiary. But there are some things that 97 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,160 there's no compromise, there's no conversation for for 98 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,480 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They didn't say, well, we'll 99 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,160 just kind of bow down. We don't really mean it. 100 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:29,280 We'll bow down to it. We don't mean it. 101 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:31,800 The Lord knows that. On the Lord sees my heart. 102 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:35,160 He said, no, no, no, no, no, yo, we're not going to bow down. 103 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:37,640 We're not, we're not going to bow down. 104 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:38,680 So what? We're going to throw you into 105 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:39,280 the fire? He said. 106 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,840 Just so you know, if you throw us in the fire, we're still not 107 00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:45,880 going to bow down, Which is kind of a funny thing to say because 108 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,000 like, well, they think you're going to die when you go in the 109 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,160 fire. That was the point. 110 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,800 So, like, well, what? Just so you know, King, we're 111 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:55,160 not going to bow down no matter what. 112 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,600 And he's like, well, I figured you wouldn't after I burn you 113 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,560 alive. And like, we'll just know no 114 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:00,840 matter what, our God will save us. 115 00:05:00,840 --> 00:05:03,160 But even if he doesn't, we won't bow down. 116 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:05,440 It's like, well, the king was expecting they would be dead. 117 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,080 Of course Jesus had other plans, and Jesus joined them in the 118 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:09,760 fire. They left the fire without even 119 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,360 smelling like smoke. It's not a promise that we all 120 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:14,640 have, by the way. That is not a promise. 121 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,000 That is something that happened. It is something that is still 122 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,200 possible, and the Lord has done that for many. 123 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,040 But it's not a promise. The promise is that the godly 124 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:25,480 will be met with persecution. So, Jamichael, how does this 125 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,520 compare to the fact that we say God is good, but he also 126 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:30,440 promises that we will be met with persecution? 127 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,040 I'm so glad you asked. You all are so smart and you're 128 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,840 so thoughtful and you always ask good questions because this is 129 00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:42,200 an issue that people mix up all the time, all the time, all the 130 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,360 time. So when someone here is 131 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:48,000 preaching and teaching on the goodness of God, they will then 132 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,640 often make the I don't know if it's a straw man, I don't know 133 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,960 what the logical fallacy is. But then they will then quote 134 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,880 some passage about persecution and they will say what do you do 135 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:02,120 with that And say you just it's it's not the same category. 136 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,280 I'm talking about the goodness of God in that this is what the 137 00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:08,480 Lord's will is compared to the inevitable persecution that will 138 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,760 come because of the Saints. Also not the will of the Lord. 139 00:06:12,280 --> 00:06:14,160 How can you say persecution isn't the will of the Lord? 140 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,480 Well, is it the Lord's will that anyone would sin? 141 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,040 It's not a trick question, right? 142 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,640 So is it the Lord's will that the Boko Haram soldier shot that 143 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:27,320 woman in the back of the head? No, it's not OK, I agree. 144 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,040 I'm with you. And yet isn't persecution 145 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:33,760 inevitable still, as some people are following their father the 146 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,120 devil and some people are following King Jesus. 147 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,560 So that's why it's a guarantee, that's why it's a promise. 148 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:41,840 But it's not that the Lord is orchestrating persecution 149 00:06:41,840 --> 00:06:45,200 against his own church, because Jesus said a house divided 150 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:49,360 against itself can't. Pretty simple stuff. 151 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,280 So persecution is not the same thing as the goodness of God, 152 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,120 and the fact that we understand that God is good and he has good 153 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,760 motives for people, but we're understanding that Jesus gives 154 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:00,880 us all these critters and he's laying all this stuff out. 155 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:05,800 He says be like sheep, be like snakes, be like a dove. 156 00:07:05,840 --> 00:07:08,760 But you need to understand how and why you're going to be like 157 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:10,720 each of those things. Let's keep going. 158 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:12,200 We made it all the way to verse 17. 159 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:19,120 Now beware of men, for they will deliver you over to the courts 160 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,160 and flog you and their synagogues. 161 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,280 Beware. So this message that Jesus gave 162 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:27,560 to his 12 and that he gives to us, this is not supposed to make 163 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,120 you anxious. This is supposed to make you 164 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:31,560 aware. This is supposed to make you 165 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:34,520 vigilant and to make you wise. He's sending out the 12. 166 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:37,040 He's going, guys go. The harvest is ready. 167 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:38,720 That's how he starts this whole thing off. 168 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:40,800 He's going into. He's telling them what they're 169 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:44,080 going to do. Hey guys, be aware there's going 170 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:45,840 to be persecution. You're actually going to be 171 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:47,840 dragged in places you don't want to go. 172 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:49,520 You're actually going to suffer terrible beatings. 173 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,200 They're going, whoa, I wouldn't. Hey, don't fear them. 174 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:54,880 All they can do is kill you. They're going. 175 00:07:55,720 --> 00:08:01,040 Thanks for the pep talk, he says fear God, who can kill your body 176 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,240 and throw your soul into hell, man. 177 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,160 Can't do anything else to you now, guys, go get after it. 178 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,920 You're loved, You're treasured. Go get on the mission. 179 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,640 So this was not intended to be like, have second thoughts. 180 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:15,120 The point is go be faithful because you're loved. 181 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:17,000 Go be faithful because Jesus is worthy. 182 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:20,600 You're supposed to be aware. You're supposed to be vigilant. 183 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,120 You're supposed to be wise. So what kinds of people should 184 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,600 we be looking out for? If we're supposed to be aware, 185 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,320 we're not supposed to be naive, we're supposed to be paying 186 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:29,600 attention. What kinds of people should we 187 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,760 look out for? Well, religious people is one of 188 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:32,919 the categories that he gives here. 189 00:08:33,039 --> 00:08:35,520 He gives multiple categories, but religious people is one of 190 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:37,080 them. So who would that include? 191 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:41,679 That would include all false religions like Islam, Hinduism, 192 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,800 Judaism, and cults like Mormonism and Jehovah's 193 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,520 Witnesses. But it also includes false 194 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:51,680 Christians who have their weak convictions exposed when they 195 00:08:51,680 --> 00:08:54,800 would rather see you suffer and they don't want to be named with 196 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,440 you. There's all kinds of possible 197 00:08:57,440 --> 00:08:58,920 scenarios where this could show up. 198 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,920 There's all kinds of places. Obviously these are Jewish men 199 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,240 being sent out who understand who the Messiah is, and they're 200 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,680 going to go be beaten by Jews who Jesus told the Jews. 201 00:09:09,680 --> 00:09:14,360 He says you're of your father, the devil, so Jews against Jews, 202 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:19,160 but not the same group of people because one of them, one of 203 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:21,080 those groups of people, is actually following Christ. 204 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,640 The interesting thing is you'll also find persons of peace in 205 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,640 all these environments. Because otherwise, who are we 206 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:29,640 going to make disciples of? How? 207 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:31,160 Who are we supposed to evangelize? 208 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:35,440 Who are we supposed to rescue from the flames if not Muslims 209 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,880 and Jews and Hindus and Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. 210 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,320 And not just non believers who aren't doing anything religious. 211 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:44,120 But right now we're focusing on the religious people. 212 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:47,400 So you'll find, you'll find friends, you'll find favor in 213 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:48,440 these environments. Why? 214 00:09:48,560 --> 00:09:51,960 Because Jesus said the harvest is ready, the harvest is ready. 215 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:53,880 So we're not looking at everybody through a lens of 216 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:55,880 suspicion going are you after me? 217 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:57,960 Are you after me? We'll be wise. 218 00:09:58,560 --> 00:10:01,280 Read as best you can. But but, but take action. 219 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,800 You've got to speak. You've got to share the gospel. 220 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,480 You've got to tell people Jesus is king. 221 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:10,560 He died for our sins. He is Lord today. 222 00:10:10,560 --> 00:10:12,480 You should walk with him. You should know him. 223 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,360 You should serve him. Let me tell you what he's done 224 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:16,840 in my heart. Let me tell you what he's done 225 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:18,720 in my life. We've got to be about that 226 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:22,880 mission. But even the even Christians or 227 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:25,800 false Christians, or maybe weak Christians, have their 228 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,760 conviction. Their weak, their weakness is 229 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,200 exposed. And then in those moments, 230 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,560 you're betrayed by who, what you thought was a brother, or 231 00:10:33,560 --> 00:10:35,040 betrayed by what you thought was a sister. 232 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,240 These are possibilities. These are things that some of 233 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:39,440 you have already experienced in different situations. 234 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:41,120 Another people group, he explains. 235 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,640 Political people, he says, you'll be dragged before 236 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,440 governors. These could be local magistrates 237 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,600 who simply use a bureaucratic process to hinder your business 238 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:55,120 or your personal life or your just because of your testimony. 239 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:57,400 They know who you are. They know you're one of those 240 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,400 Jesus people and now there's problems. 241 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:02,640 Now there's challenges. When we were at Cornerstone 242 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,480 years ago and we were getting the the new sign installed that 243 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,600 was up there, the county would not let us use colours on the 244 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:13,080 sign like the the the meetings that the county had were 245 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,400 laughable. It was so absurd like that the 246 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:20,040 sign could only change this often, even though the state of 247 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:24,200 Virginia's law states that it's safer the more frequently the 248 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,600 sign changes because otherwise people are spending time to wait 249 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,600 for it. But the county superseded the 250 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:29,680 state. Why? 251 00:11:29,680 --> 00:11:32,880 Well, we'll leave their motives to the Lord, but I can only say 252 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:36,680 it was ridiculous. It was obnoxious and it violated 253 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:38,400 even the state code. And the county said we're going 254 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:41,600 to do what we want to do. Boys, they said you can't use 255 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:44,720 the color because we don't want this place looking like Vegas, 256 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:46,840 you know? So it's silly. 257 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:48,600 It's it's obnoxious. It's foolish. 258 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:51,120 Why I don't. I can't know all their motives. 259 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,520 But I'm not an idiot. I've got a little bit of serpent 260 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:56,840 in me. I've got a bit of wisdom to 261 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,520 recognize the situation and to read the room and go 262 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:03,000 Interesting. And now, thankfully, that's 263 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,160 changed because the fire department got to use a colored 264 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,120 sign. And therefore, I guess what's 265 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:08,320 good for the goose is good for the gander. 266 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:10,880 It's it's now safe in Matthews County to have a colored sign. 267 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:12,120 But years ago, apparently it wasn't. 268 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,840 So you just recognize, he say, it could be that simple. 269 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:17,560 That's subtle. Is that persecution? 270 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:19,920 Level one. But it. 271 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,040 But it's something. It ain't nothing, You know, it's 272 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,000 obnoxious, but you could experience the same kind of 273 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,200 thing in the workplace. You could experience the same 274 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:28,120 kind of thing in all kinds of different situations. 275 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,800 So it could be bureaucracy like that, or it could be your Co 276 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,320 worker who reports you to HR because you shared your 277 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:36,920 conviction on something. Everybody else is allowed to, by 278 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,480 the way, But you're not. Yeah, everybody else is sharing. 279 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,480 Well, I think this or this is stupid or that's good or that's 280 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:43,840 bad. You say, well, I think this and 281 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:46,520 they go stop pushing your religion on me. 282 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,680 Isn't that funny how that works? They can push their godlessness 283 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:53,040 on me. And I'm just like, I'm tolerant, 284 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:55,520 genuinely tolerant as Christians should be. 285 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,480 And then as soon as I share something like, she's shoving it 286 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:03,920 down my throat. No, no, it's called love. 287 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,800 But there could be a consequence for that, or it could eventually 288 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,920 even be a hostile government. Who throws you into a prison 289 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:12,520 camp? Level 10, right? 290 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:14,600 Like, there's there's a full spectrum there, but it could 291 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,720 look like anything. We're paying attention. 292 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,600 We're being wise. We're noticing persecution. 293 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:24,480 You would be dragged before them, he says. 294 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,720 But he says it's for my sake. And that's the great comfort 295 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,600 when you're being dragged before somebody to remind yourself that 296 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,920 this isn't personal. Don't make it about you. 297 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:37,040 It's not about you and your situation or the thing you're 298 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:40,000 trying to get done. And that's why at Cornerstone, 299 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,280 that's why we prayed for for the board, the Board of Supervisors 300 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:45,640 and Matthews. There was no animosity among us, 301 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:48,160 pastors towards them. We just, we saw it for what it 302 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,800 was and then we prayed and and we recognized, all right, if we 303 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,040 have enemies, then we're going to love our enemies. 304 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:55,760 Why? It's for his sake. 305 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:58,440 I'm not taking this personally against me. 306 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:02,160 I I I feel it for him. I feel it for him. 307 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:03,960 And that draws me. That fills me with his 308 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,360 compassion. It's still a time to knock the 309 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:09,280 dust off my feet and move on, but I'm filled with compassion 310 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,920 for people. You'll be dragged before them 311 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,200 for my sake. That is the great joy to bear 312 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:19,720 witness before them for Jesus. Jesus is going to use his sheep 313 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:23,680 to shame the wolves and to judge the wolves on the Day of 314 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:25,200 Judgement. He's actually even going to use 315 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,680 your testimony against others. The testimony that you shared 316 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,960 about the gospel of the Kingdom will be replayed, I believe, in 317 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,880 front of those people. And he'll say, you said this 318 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:36,600 right. And Adam will say yes, Lord, I 319 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:40,920 told them well, and then well, that that's when that's when 320 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,760 they you lost your job, or that's when you lost the client, 321 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:45,240 or that's when you lost that friend. 322 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:49,040 And the Lord will show them. I sent a messenger to you. 323 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:52,320 I sent somebody to you. I sent you, Matt. 324 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:55,040 I sent you, Kaden. I sent you Linda. 325 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,800 I sent them to you on that day. And you mocked them. 326 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:02,560 I sent them to you on that the horror, the horror that they'll 327 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:04,720 have. Then you wish that somebody had 328 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,000 shoved Jesus down your throat on that day. 329 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,360 So our love, our compassion draws us to share and to tell 330 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:17,160 people the truth. But on earth, it's going to be 331 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:19,760 difficult for the Saints when they have your false trial. 332 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,960 There's going to be moments where you're to stand up with 333 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:27,120 boldness, like the boldness of Stephen, and to say true things 334 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:29,120 no matter what the consequences will be. 335 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:33,240 To remind potentially even a judge that there is a king that 336 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:36,240 even that judge will answer to. This is what Saints have done 337 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:38,800 throughout history. There's books written about the 338 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:41,680 martyrs, There's testimonies, there's ministries that focus on 339 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,680 the martyrs. If you want to be inspired, if 340 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,000 you want to be challenged, if you want to be encouraged, if 341 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,000 you want to be humbled, go read some of their testimonies. 342 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,280 Like just the woman, the recent woman in Nigeria who watched a 343 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:55,920 video on the other night. There are Saints who will 344 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:58,960 encourage you and bless you and say, God make me bold, Holy 345 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:00,400 Spirit, fill me up with strength. 346 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,320 You will borrow strength from those Saints. 347 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:04,520 You will borrow courage from them. 348 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:09,720 You will be encouraged when you're at the family gathering 349 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,640 and you tell of God's goodness again and your loved ones roll 350 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,440 their eyes or lose their temper because again, you're shoving 351 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,240 your religion down their throats in every situation. 352 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,360 You are an ambassador for the Kingdom, for the king and his 353 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:23,680 Kingdom. And then he tells you, don't 354 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:26,000 worry about what to say when you're dragged in front of 355 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:28,600 people. So this doesn't mean that we're 356 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,160 not prepared to share our testimony and to talk about the 357 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,080 goodness and the glory of God at any times in a general way. 358 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:37,600 But specifically, when the stakes are raised and you're in 359 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,480 an intense situation, when you are brought into the HR office 360 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:43,560 and say, hey, what do you think about this situation? 361 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:45,520 What do you think about what we're doing with our restrooms? 362 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,320 What do you think about what we did with the locker room? 363 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:48,840 What do you think about this? What do you think about that? 364 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,320 Don't worry, don't rehearse. It's in that moment And those 365 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:56,400 high pressure situations, that's where you just say Bah, that's 366 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,960 where you ask the Lord God help me right now to be wise as a 367 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,160 serpent. Help me to be as harmless as a 368 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:06,839 dove and as pure as a dove and as sincere as a dove. 369 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:11,520 But God make me faithful. Help me to say what's right and 370 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:16,160 what's righteous I'm giving. I'm giving lightweight examples 371 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:19,400 regarding gender nonsense that we experience in our country 372 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:20,520 right now. I call those lightweight 373 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:23,640 examples because that's probably the that's that's the most heat 374 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:24,640 that we're going to feel right now. 375 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:28,640 Issues regarding homosexuality issues regarding gender and and 376 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,240 the confusion and the sin around all that, that's where most of 377 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:32,680 of us feel the pressure right now. 378 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,120 All of the persecution we experience right now is is 379 00:17:35,120 --> 00:17:39,040 largely going to be in those areas That is the that's 380 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,120 persecution, but it's in its it's in its embryonic state. 381 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:46,080 It's still immature. 2 generations from now would look 382 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:49,080 very, very different because how can you say 2 generations? 383 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:50,440 Cause a lot happens in two generations. 384 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,240 We're backwards 2 generations and what do we have? 385 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:58,080 Look at America, 1940s and 50s and and could anyone have ever 386 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:00,360 imagined that it would have been this today? 387 00:18:01,120 --> 00:18:07,560 Imagine, if you, if you dare, two more generations apart from 388 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:10,720 the Saints and the sheep, doing what Jesus has called them to 389 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,760 do. Those two generations were lazy. 390 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:16,440 They were lazy in their evangelism. 391 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:18,800 They expected the government to assist the church. 392 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,160 We no longer trust the government. 393 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:25,040 We've we clearly recognize the distinctions between spheres of 394 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:27,480 influence, and we know who the king is Overall. 395 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:32,200 The church will be the pillar of truth, the household will care 396 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:36,080 for one another, and the government can establish laws 397 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:38,880 that protect people. That's all we want them to do. 398 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:42,720 Don't worry about what to say. Don't rehearse your lines. 399 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,400 Jesus will give you the words. That's when the shepherd will 400 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,280 lead his sheep. We're going to go to verse 21. 401 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:50,600 We're going to start wrapping this thing up. 402 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:54,600 Brother will deliver brother over to death and father his 403 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,200 child and children. Rise up against parents and have 404 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,440 them put to death. And you will be hated for my 405 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:02,040 name's sake. But the one who endures to the 406 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,320 end will be saved. What a nice Mother's Day sermon. 407 00:19:08,360 --> 00:19:10,800 But Jesus goes on to say later he said he didn't come to bring 408 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:13,440 peace, but a sword. He divides people. 409 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:15,240 He did it then and he's doing it now. 410 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:17,720 Be aware. Don't be afraid. 411 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:22,920 Don't be naive. Hated by family, Hated by oh 412 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:24,960 man. It's hard for me to imagine me 413 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:29,000 too until it happens. But many Saints have experienced 414 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:30,960 these very things. Verse 23. 415 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,960 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next for. 416 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,920 Truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the 417 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,400 towns in Israel before the Son of Man comes. 418 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,040 What are we supposed to do when we're rejected? 419 00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:45,920 Just move on to the next one. Just move on to the next one. 420 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:47,440 Why? Because the harvest is ready. 421 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:49,600 That's the weight you're supposed to take away from this 422 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:50,760 thing. The harvest is ready. 423 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,400 Go get in the harvest. Hey, PS There's going to be some 424 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:56,720 persecution from the harvest that's not ready. 425 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,480 The few that aren't there yet. But the harvest is ready. 426 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:01,800 So go get me. Go get me my harvest. 427 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,320 Go get me my harvest. Go tell people the good news. 428 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:08,480 What if something happens to me? What is your life? 429 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,720 Jesus went first. That's the point. 430 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,560 Our God doesn't just sit on a throne and say, let me just 431 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:17,240 throw my sheep into the gauntlet. 432 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,800 Jesus became the lamb. Jesus is the Lamb of God. 433 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,680 He's the one who went first. He's more humble than you. 434 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,120 He's more humble than me. He's perfect. 435 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:30,680 And he was willing to go to the cross. 436 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:34,200 He says I'll go for the mission. Follow me, Be willing to follow 437 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,200 me even unto death. I hope it doesn't come to that. 438 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:39,360 I think that's a normal or natural desire. 439 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:43,400 And still be faithful no matter what It comes to steal your 440 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:46,800 heart, to be faithful no matter what, not just go. 441 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:49,720 I'm glad I live here. I'm glad I live here too. 442 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:53,640 But I don't want a faith that's dependent upon my environment. 443 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,200 I don't want a conviction that's dependent upon my comfort. 444 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:00,920 I want a conviction that could survive in Nigeria. 445 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,720 I want conviction that would survive in Afghanistan. 446 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,440 I want conviction that would survive a North Korean prison 447 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,920 camp breaking rocks and starving to death. 448 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,720 Denounce Christ. I would rather die. 449 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:19,360 I would rather die. Literally, I would rather die. 450 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:23,360 Oh, you could just say it. No, I couldn't. 451 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,920 I can't because he said I can. And he goes on to say if you 452 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,560 deny me before men, I'll deny you before my Father who's in 453 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:33,240 heaven. But if you confess me before 454 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:36,200 men, I'll confess you before my Father who's in heaven. 455 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,680 Amen. What a glorious moment that's 456 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,480 going to be when we stand before the Father and the Father looks 457 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:46,520 to Jesus and Jesus says, Oh yeah, she's mine, He's mine. 458 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:50,400 That's the only way anybody's getting anywhere. 459 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:53,400 It's the only way anybody makes into the eternal Kingdom. 460 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,040 The blood of Jesus, The name of Jesus. 461 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:59,960 What are we supposed to do? Just move on to the next one? 462 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:02,520 We're not trying to die. We're not trying to get 463 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,040 persecuted. We're move on, escape, he said. 464 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,600 I need you for the mission. I don't need you dead. 465 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:09,960 I need you moving. On, I need you to move on. 466 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:11,480 I need you to move on. I need you to move on. 467 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:16,800 William Tyndale, famously. He was getting the Bible printed 468 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,920 and what was what was my time period there? 469 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:23,640 Tyndale, 15 hundreds, yes. Yeah, 15 hundreds. 470 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:27,440 And he's being persecuted. And his because of the Bible, 471 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,440 the the spreading of the Bible and, you know, printing it in in 472 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:33,120 languages that people could understand it instead. 473 00:22:33,120 --> 00:22:34,640 Yeah, in English instead of just Latin. 474 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:36,840 And people were just sitting in a mass and they don't know 475 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:38,280 what's being said or what's being taught or what's 476 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:39,960 happening. And he was printing it in 477 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:44,320 English And and as right before they burned him alive, his 478 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:47,320 prayer was God open the King of England's eyes. 479 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:51,120 That was what he prayed. And now of course we have a 480 00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:53,640 whole publishing company named after William Tyndale and we 481 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,960 still honor the man who. So I wonder if the enemy tempted 482 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:00,480 him. Though as as the flame took to 483 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:01,880 the wood that was underneath him. 484 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:04,880 I wonder if he thought, man, maybe this was worthless. 485 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:08,720 Maybe my life didn't count. I wonder if those thoughts came 486 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:10,120 into his mind. Well, they didn't last long 487 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,480 because he was moments away from the king who said well done, 488 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:18,160 well done. And the guy and God did move and 489 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:22,440 God did open eyes and he did bring repentance and revelation 490 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:26,400 and reformation. And England became a Christ 491 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,920 following nation. But it's not a permanent thing 492 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,920 is it? England is now post Christian. 493 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:36,560 America is heading towards a post Christian reality, but not 494 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,680 on our watch. We're going to be faithful to be 495 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:42,560 witnesses. Faithful to be witnesses. 496 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:44,960 They called Jesus a demon. They're going to do the same 497 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,680 thing with you. You need to recognize when 498 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:50,040 you're dealing with a dog or when you're dealing with a pig. 499 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:54,560 He told us to remember Matthew Chapter 7, every non Christian's 500 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:56,400 favorite verse in the Bible, judge not. 501 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:00,440 And they didn't read anything else he said afterwards, which 502 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:02,040 is literally teaching you how to judge. 503 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,760 Judge not. And then he clarifies. 504 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,240 The measure of judgement that you use is what's going to be 505 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,680 used on you. So you better judge wisely. 506 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:13,920 You better judge graciously. You better judge accurately, 507 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:16,440 judge appropriately, not not hypocritically. 508 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,720 And then he says you need to know when somebody's a dog or a 509 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:21,320 pig. Don't give your pearls to dogs 510 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:23,840 and pigs. You have pearls, the Pearl of 511 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:25,560 great price, the Lord Jesus Christ. 512 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:28,000 When someone reveals they're a dog, they're a pig. 513 00:24:28,360 --> 00:24:30,600 This looks like unreasonable accusations. 514 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,800 This looks like I've had someone call my teaching demonic before. 515 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:38,360 My very explicit Bible teaching on husbands and wives I had a 516 00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:40,160 wife once accused me of. She's like, your stuff is 517 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:41,320 demonic. Natalie was there. 518 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:46,320 She said your stuff is demonic. I was too naive at that point. 519 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:48,280 I didn't have enough Serpentine in me yet. 520 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,440 And I said, Oh my goodness sister, how is it demonic? 521 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:54,920 An hour and a half later. Nonsense. 522 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:57,760 Just wasting my time. Wasting Natalie's time. 523 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:02,800 Just accusations, no clarity. And I find that sister how I'm 524 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:06,080 show me. And eventually it came to 525 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,520 nothing. And I I have learned a great 526 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,600 lesson that night. To not give my pearls to dogs 527 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:14,320 and to not give my pearls to pigs. 528 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,680 And to not give my peace away. If your peace rests on them, 529 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,200 then you stay. But if your peace bounces off 530 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:21,720 and hits you in the head, you go, OK. 531 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:24,960 This ain't right. This exchange isn't right. 532 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,720 This isn't a person of peace. Peace. 533 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:30,160 So we're looking for those persons of peace. 534 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:31,880 Is there a reception here? Is there a warmth? 535 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,600 Something's going on here. We can trust the Lord. 536 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,120 But you've I've been called demonic. 537 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:42,720 Praise God, just like my master. I've been called worse. 538 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:44,760 By the way, I'm sure you have too. 539 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:48,880 So be aware of men and follow your God. 540 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:51,480 Don't be afraid. Don't be anxious if you're 541 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:53,480 anxious. I I graciously call you to 542 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:57,320 repentance, to trust in the one who loves you and who knows you. 543 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:02,280 Second, Timothy 312 tells us all who desire to live a godly life 544 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,160 in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 545 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:07,320 There's your refrigerator verse. There's your coffee muggling. 546 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:10,120 But we're going to end with this. 547 00:26:10,120 --> 00:26:14,360 And then we're going to sing a song as we dismiss Jesus in John 548 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:23,480 1633. In this world you have trouble, 549 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:28,040 but be of good cheer for I've overcome the world. 550 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:32,400 Well, that's a promise. Put that on the other side of 551 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:35,920 the coffee mug. All who desire to live a godly 552 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,200 life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 553 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:43,600 But also in this world you will have trouble but be of good 554 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:46,600 cheer for have overcome the world. 555 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,640 Who can talk like that? Who can talk like that? 556 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:53,240 Nobody dared talk like that. No religious leader has ever 557 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:56,120 dared talk like that. Nobody ever said I have overcome 558 00:26:56,120 --> 00:27:01,480 the world except for the King. Who actually has he built? 559 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:05,000 The world? He spoke it into existence. 560 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:08,680 He ruled over it. He came to save it. 561 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:13,520 He's going to make it new and he will rule and reign with his 562 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:14,360 Saints forever.